Elastically yieldable fastener for fastening rails on ties



June 7, 1966 A, CHARTET 3,254,840

ELASTICALLY YIELDABLE FASTENER FOR FASTENING RAILS ON TIES Filed Jan. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR, A11/F0 l @kartei Z' TURA/'E YS June 7, 1966 A. CHARTET ELASTICALLY YIELDABLE FASTENER FOR FASTENING RAILS ON TIES Filed Jan. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet B INVENTR, Andre l @l1/Zr fcf A T TORNEYS June 7, 1966 A. CHARTET 3,254,840

ELASTICALLY YIELDABLE FASTENER FOR FASTENING RAILS ON TIES Filed Jan. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NV'JVTO A e Cha f BY pf2 M ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,254,840 ELASTICALLY YIELDABLE FASTENER FOR FASTENING RAILS N TIES Andr Chartet, Meudon (Seine-et-Oise), France, assignor to P.C.C., Paris, France, a French body corporate Filed Jan. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 164,321 5 Claims. (Cl. 23S- 349) The present invention relates to elastic fasteners for fastening rails on ties of the type comprising a spring strip having a branch which overlies the flange of the rail and lbears at its end on said flange, the branch being extended inthe part opposed to the rail by a portion 'which is clamped down -flat through the medium of the clamping element (for example a coach-screw) against the rail support, the latter being if desired the tie itself or a pad or sole interposed between the tie and the rail. Such fasteners have the advantage of not requiring accurate adjustment when mounting, but they possess diasadvantages which are due in particular to the conditions of contact in the area in which the spring strip bears against the rail support. If the latter is formed by the tie lthe material of the tie is subjected to high stresses in said bearing area and this could progressively create a depression in the case of wood or a breaking up in the case of concrete. tIf the spring strip is supported on a metal face, whether this concerns the tie if the latter is of metal or a sole, the tightening of the bolt could result in excessive local contact fatigue in the spring steel which is liable to create cracks 4or splits in the strip; further, under the effect of very small displacements, brought about by the vibrations of the superstructure of the track upon passage of the rolling stock, rubbing cor rosion could occur` The direct contact between the end of the spring strip and the flange of the rail presents furthermore the same disadvantage and'a reciprocal non-negligible wear can occur after a certain period of time.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved elastically yieldable fastener for fastening rails on ties, of the aforementioned type which does not possess the aforementioned disadvantages but which retains the advantages inherent in the direct clamping on the support of the rail of a portion of the spring strip of the fastener.

In the fastener according to the invention, an element of rubber or plastic material in the form of a thin sheet is interposed in the region located under the clamping means 4between lthe branch of the spring strip which bears against the support of the rail and theface of said support. This sheet is advantageously stuck, vulcanized or otherwise caused to adhere to the spring strip and permits improving the distribution of the bearing stresses and is capable moreover of absorbing, owing to its elasticity, the very small displacements of the spring strip vibrations of the superstructure.

The thickness of the rubber or plastic element is advantageously chosen to be rather small, of about a few millimetres,'such as 2 mm., yso as to impart thereto very high creep resistance. lF-urthermore, the element is advantageously extended on the side adjacent the rail by a portion which overlaps by a few millimetres the edge of the rail flange and thereby precludes a direct contact between the flange and `the spring strip.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from `the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings, to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a longitudinal sectional view and FIG. 2

relative to its support ywhich could arise owing to the a plan View of the underside, of an embodiment of the invention in the case of a clamping element in the form of a coach-screw;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View through the coachscrew aperture of the spring strip shown in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal secional view of another embodiment of the invention, the fastener :being shown merely placed on the rail before clamping or tightening down;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to F-IG. 4 after tightening down;

FIG. 6 is a View of the underside of `the fastener shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are longitudinal sectional views of two other embodiments of the invention.

The fastener shown in FIGS. -1 and 2 comprises a spring strip 1 having a rectangular shape and Whose yfront end A elastically bears against the rail ange 5 and rear portion CID-is clamped against the face of the .tie 2 by a coach-screw 3 which extends through Van oblong aperture 6 in the strip. An element 10 of rubber or plastic material is interposed between the portion CD of the lower face of the strip and lthe tie and comprises an extended portion H which overlies to the extent of a few 4millimetres the edge of the rail flange. In this particular case, the fastener does not participate in maintaining the rail in the lateral direction, this being achieved by a recess 12 in the tie. A rubber sole or pad 7 placed under the rail ange imparts a certain elasticity to the vertical bearing of .the rail on the tie. its clamped position, the strip 1 having lbeen elastically deformed so as to bear on the rail through -the medium of its end A. The curve 1 shown in FIG. 1 indicates the shape of the strip 1 in its undeformed state in which the end occupies the position A.

A further feature of the fastener shown in FIGS. l to 3 resides in the special shape of the strip 1 around the aperture 6, this strip being so shaped as to conform as closely as possible to the shape of the bearing face'of the head of the coach-screw when the latter is in its clamping position so as to improve the distribution of the bearing stresses in the strip.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the invention more particularly adapted for the direct mounting on concrete or. metal ties or the direct mounting on a metal sole. The spring strip 1 is curved in the form of a swan neck in its middle part and its rear part is extended by a raised heel E which abuts in the longitudinal direction of the strip, through the medium of an extension M of the element 10, against a shoulder N formed in the face of the tie 2. The element 10 comprises, furthermore, in the vicinity of the swan neck a portion G defined by a vertical face against which bears the adjacent face of the edge of the rail flange, the portion G comprising an extended portion H Which, rafter clamping down, comes into contact with the rail flange and thus constitutes la vertical abutment. An additional arrangement consists in the interposition between the clampingnut 4 and the spring strip 1 of a metal bearing plate 8 which is rectangular and is adapted to improve the distribution of the bearing force of the nut against the upper face of the strip 1, this bearing plate not being necessarily flexible and having advantageously, in these circumstances, a marked thickness which is greater than that of the strip 1, for example about double that of the strip 1, and being composed of ordinary steel. The lower face of this bearing plate is advantageously very slightly curved with a concavity directed downwardly so as to exert an energetic pressure on the spring strip both in the vicinity of the swan neck and in the vicinity of the heel located at the rear.

FIG. 1 shows the fastener in- Additionally, in order to avoid reciprocal wear in the rail flange and the end A of the spring strip, this end could be provided with studs or blocks of rubber or plastic material 13. These studs, winch have a height of a few millimetres, for example 3 to 4 mm., advantageously have a diameter which is shown twice as large. In this way they possess a slight vertical elasticity but their deformability in respect of shear permits them to elastically absorb the tangential relative very small displacements between the rail and the spring strip caused by the vibrations of the superstructure.y

The operation of a fastener of this type can be easily understood when referring to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows the component parts of the fastener before tightening down, there being a certain curvature having a downwardly-directed concavity in the strip and the adjacent element 10, in the part adapted to bear against the tie. When the nut 4 is tightened (FIG. 5), the whole of the strip 1 llexes in the opposite direction to the aforementioned curvature and the strip then bears llat against the upper face of the tie While exerting an elastic bearing force, through the medium of its end A, on the rail flange. Further, the vertical face of the element adjacent the swan neck is closely applied against the vertical face of the edge of the rail flange and thus achieves a very precise lateral positioning of the latter. The lateral forces are then transmitted through the medium of the element 10 to the part of the strip applied against its support and, finally, through the medium of the heel E and the portion M, to the shoulder N formed in this support.

In certain cases and in particular when the fastener is mounted on wood, it could be advantageous to allow a certain amount of adjustment in the vertical bearing force of the strip against the rail flange. A simple arrangement according to the invention consists in providing a recess 14 in the bearing face of the element 10 below the region in which the clamping element bears on the strip, as shown in FIG. 7. Any increase in the clamping or tightening down beyond its normal value would therefore tend to swing around the forward end of the strip due to compression of the element 10 in the vicinity of the recess and consequently increase the clamping effect of the strip.

An equivalent arrangement as concerns the result obtained consists in providing a recess 15 in the upper face of the support for the fastener (tie or sole), as shown in FIG. 8.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as delined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Rail fastener for fastening a rail having a flange to a rail support, the fastener comprising a spring strip, clamping means having a substantially vertical axis along which it exerts a clamping force for clamping the spring strip to the support, the strip having a rst portion to be clamped on the support by the clamping means in regions -of the first portion located on sides of said axis which are respectively remote from and adjacent to the rail to be fastened, and a second portion for overlying the flange of the rail, the second portion having an end for elastically exerting a fastening pressure on the flange, and a non-metallic element of elastically yieldably material substantially in the form of a sheet, which is thin relative to the strip and is in underlying and adjoining relation to the first portion of the spring strip, the element having a bottom face which is the sole face of the fastener that bears against the top of the support when the strip is clamped in position, the spring strip having on a portion thereof adjacent said end of the second portion a series of studs of elastically yieldable material sec-ured to the spring strip and interposed between the latter and the .flange of the rail.

2. Rail fastener for fastening a rail having a flange to a rail support, the fastener comprising a spring strip, clamping means having a substantially verticalaxis along which it exerts a clamping force for clamping the spring strip to the support, the strip having a first portion to be clamped'on the support by the clamping means in regions of the first portion located on sides of said axis which are respectively remote from and adjacent to the rail to be fastened, and a second portion for overlying the llange of the rail, the second portion having an end of elastically exerting a fastening pressure on the flange, and a nonmetallic `element of elastically yieldable material substantially in the form of a sheet which is thin relative to the strip and is in underlying and adjoining relation to the lirst portion of the spring strip, the element having a bottom face which is the sole face of the fastener that bears against the top of the support when the strip is clamped in position, a recess being provided in said element in the face thereof adjacent the support and in a region located below the clamping means, whereby the part of the spring strip located between said axis of the clamping means and the rail is not forced against the support when the strip is normally clamped down.

3. The combination comprising a rail having a llange, a rail support and a rail fastener, the fastener comprising a spring strip, clamping means having a substantially vertical axis along |which it exerts a clamping force, the strip having a first portion which is clamped on the support by the clamping means in regions of the first portion located on sides of said axis which are respectively remote from and adjacent to the rail, and a second portion overlying the flange of the rail, the second portion having an end which elastically exerts a fastening pressure on the flange, and a non-metallic element of elastically yieldable material substantially in the form of a sheet which is thin realtive to the strip and underlies and adjoins the first portion of the strip, the yieldable element being the sole element interposed between the strip and the top of the support whereby the strip is clamped on the support solely through the medium of the element, a recess being provided in the support in a part thereof located between said axis of the clamping means and the flange, 'whereby the part of the spring strip located between said axis of the clamping means and the rail is not forced against the support when the fastener is normally clamped down.

`4l. The combination comprising a rail having a flange, a rail support and a rail fastener, the fastener comprising a spring strip, clamping means having a substantially vertical axis along which it exerts a clamping force, the strip having a first portion which is clamped on the support by the clamping means in regions of the first portion located on sides of said axis which are respectively remote from and adjacent to the rail, and a second portion overlying the flange of the rail, the second portion having an end which elastically exerts a fastening pressure on the flange, and a non-metallic element of elastically yieldable material substantially in the form of a sheet which is thin relative to the strip and underlies and adjoins the first portion of the strip, the yieldable element being the sole element interposed `between the strip and the top of the support whereby the strip is clamped on the support solely through the medium of the element, a bent portion of the spring strip interconnecting the first portion and second portion, the flange having a lateral edge of a given height, the bent portion extending upwardly between the first portion and second portion and extending alongside said edge of the flange whereby the bent portion affords an abutment, said element extending round the bent portion so .as to be interposed between the bent portion and said edge of the flange whereby the flange is held in position laterally, and an upstanding heel portion provided on the end of the first portion of the spring strip remote from the rail, a shoulder provided on the support of the rail, said element extending round the heel portion so as to be interposed between the latter and said shoulder, the heel portion being supported by said shoulder through the medium of said element in a horizontal direction when the spring strip is clamped down, the first portion of the strip being contained in a horizontal plane intersecting said edge of the ange, and a metal bearing plate having a exibility fwhich is negligible relative to that of the strip interposed between the clamping means and the first portion of the spring strip, the bearing plate having such length and shape that the clamping force exerted by the clamping means through the medium of the `bearing plateis applied to the spring strip in a region of the spring strip in the vicinity of the bent portion and in the region of the spring strip in the vicinity of the hee-l portion.

5. Rail fastener for fastening a rail having a flange to a rail support, the fastener comprising a spring strip, clamping means having a substantially vertical axis along which it exerts a clamping force for clamping the spring strip to the support, the strip having a first portion to be clamped on the support by the clamping means in regions of the first portion located on sides of said axis which are respectively remote from and adjacent to the rail to -be fastened, and a second portion for overlying the flange of the rail, the second portion having an end for elastically exerting a fastening pressure on the flange, and a non-metallic element of elastically yieldable material substantially in the form of a sheet which is thin relative to the strip and is in underlying and adjoining relation to the rst portion of the spring strip, the element References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 979,478 12/1910 Hall 238-243 1,960,550 3/1931 Preston 238-349 2,203,994 6/1940 Magee 238-349 2,724,558 11/1955 Jones 23S-349x 2,761,347 9/1956 'McKee 85--50 X 2,779,543 1/1957 Gronlund 238-283 X 2,884,100 4/1959 McKee 85-50 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,137,820 1/1957 France. 1,244,383 9/1960 France.

888,573 1/1962 Great Britain.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, JAMES S. SHANK, EUGENE G. BOTZ, Examiners.

I. N. ERLICH, M. I. HILL, R. A. BERTSCH,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. RAIL FASTENER FOR FASTENING A RAIL HAVING A FLANGE TO A RAIL SUPPORT, THE FASTENER COMPRISING A SPRING STRIP, CLAMPING MEANS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS ALONG WHICH IT EXERTS A CLAMPING FORCE FOR CLAMPING THE SPRING STRIP TO THE SUPPORT, THE STRIP HAVING A FIRST PORTION TO BE CLAMPED ON THE SUPPORT BY THE CLAMPING MEANS IN REGIONS OF THE FIRST PORTION LOCATED ON SIDES OF SAID AXIS WHICH ARE RESPECTIVELY REMOTE FROM SAID ADJACENT TO THE RAIL TO BE FASTENED, AND A SECOND PORTION FOR OVERLYING THE FLANGE OF THE RAIL, THE SECOND PORTION HAVING AN END FOR ELASTICALLY EXERTING A FASTENING PRESSURE ON THE FLANGE AND A NON-METALLIC ELEMENT OF ELASTICALLY YIELDABLY MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM OF SHEET, WHICH IS THIN RELATIVE TO THE STRIP AND IS IN UNDERLYING AND ADJOINING RELATION TO THE FIRST PORTION OF THE SPRING STRIP, THE ELEMENT HAVING A BOTTOM FACE WHICH IS THE SOLE FACE OF THE FASTENER THAT BEARS AGAINST THE TOP OF THE SUPPORT WHEN THE STRIP IS CLAMPED IN POSITION, THE SPRING STRIP HAVING ON A PORTION THEREOF ADJACENT SAID END OF THE SECOND PORTION A SERIES OF STUDS OF ELASTICALLY YIELDABLE MATERIAL SECURED TO THE SPRING STRIP AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE LATTER AND THE FLANGE OF THE RAIL. 